Shouldn't tolerance be a two-way street?

As I watched the inauguration last month, I was reminded of Louie Giglio, the Atlanta-based Christian pastor who was invited to the ceremonies, but did not participate because of comments he made nearly 20 years ago citing Bible verses that stated homosexuality is sin.

Each day I hear in the media that my strong convictions and beliefs -- which are grounded in the Bible -- are no longer acceptable in society. Yet at every corner I am told to be tolerant -- period. As was the case with Mr. Giglio, attempts to bully me into apologizing for my own convictions have begun, and this shift in society greatly affects me. When the leader of the country that I worship Jesus Christ in, that I love, that I work and pay my taxes in, begins to deny me of my right to live out my convictions while also calling me to support the opposite, I take issue. So did Thomas Jefferson:

"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."

As tolerance for my life decreases, I am increasingly pressured to change. Am I to accept and publicly support abortion? Yes. Am I to accept and publicly support homosexual marriage? Yes. Am I to accept and publicly support the increasing attack on my First and Second amendment rights? Yes. But is acceptance of my beliefs enforced? Never. In fact, I am the prey of an increasingly anti-tolerant society, and when it comes to me and others who share my life for Jesus Christ, tolerance is increasingly rare. I am expected to reach some pinnacle of higher understanding which will lead me to abandon my Biblical beliefs and agree with society. This will never happen.

I do not protest homosexual marriage at the state capital, nor do I camp out in front of Planned Parenthood, but some who have the opposite views protest in demand that I acknowledge and accept their choices. I do not protest for my convictions and beliefs because I do not need society to validate me. My life is validated in Christ -- not through state laws demanding others to do so.

Yet I wonder if those on the other end of the spectrum understand that my beliefs and convictions are what I base my existence on. My faith in Jesus Christ determines who I am, how I make my life decisions and how I care for those around me. It is everything to me -- why would someone I don't know or don't desire to harm demand me to change?

I am a college educated, contributing member of society. As a homeowner, I keep my property neat and presentable out of respect for my neighbors. I make an effort to assist others members of my community. I pick up garbage off the street in order to assist in making the city I live in a better place. Yet when my dependence on Christ and my convictions come into play, all that is void.

My love for Christ and my daily dependence on Him -- the core of who I am -- is increasingly scoffed and belittled. As a Christian, God commands me to take responsibility for my sin, to acknowledge my complete inadequacy before Him, to acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior and to accept that I stand before Him guilty of choosing sin over righteousness (Romans 3). Of course this is not popular in the media, as some find Jesus Christ offensive; therefore, so am I. But this makes it very clear that I can live a peaceable life, abide by the Bible and the pressure will remain on me to conform.

In researching historical events and preparing my heart for days when uttering the name of Jesus Christ will mean my life is in danger (Romans 1:22), I am reminded of a quote by Martin Niemoeller, an anti-Nazi pastor in Germany during World War II:

"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no one left to speak out for me."

I am a Christian woman who is conservative -- I do not hide or apologize for that. My convictions might not be popular but that does not mean they do not exist or that they will go away.